How to safely LED upgrade my old Legend with 4 D batteries?

[Leo2]

How can I safely LED upgrade my Legend flashlight with 4 D batteries?

I bought this sturdy aluminum Legend flashlight new around the year 2000. It looks a bit like a Maglite 4D but it has a long rubber sleeve over the barrel with wide ridges running lengthwise. And it has a narrow rubber strip on the head with the same kind of ridges, which is used to twist the head.

The head is a bit more angular than the rounded head of a Maglite 4D.

This Legend flashlight has a thin, flat plastic lens and an incandescent bulb.

It has an adjustable parabolic mirror, to change the beam width, by twisting the head.

It has a push button switch on the head with a worn rubber cover.

I am afraid that an LED element might overheat in this flashlight. And that it might even start a fire. How can I prevent that with an LED upgrade? How many lumens can I safely go up to?

Can I replace the rubber cover on the push button switch with the cover from an old Maglite 4D that I may be able to order from Maglite?

 

[Leo2]

This large aluminum flashlight may be a Brinkmann Legend.

 

[Leo2]

I once found out that this Legend flashlight fits an LED upgrade that is sold for an incandescent Maglite 4D. That upgrade is only a LED element without a reflector.

How many lumens can such an upgrade have without risk of overheating? Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.

 

[alpg88]

about 200 lumens at best, those are pr led drop ins, there are many different kinds of those, from total trash to somewhat decent. but for the price they cost, you can get 2aa mini maglite led that will be brighter, smaller lighter. with a better focus. If the reason you want it upgraded is a sentimental one, then you can look for led pr bulb upgrades, if it has no sentimental value to you, get a new light, will performs better weight less, and is a smaller light.......

 

[Leo2]

about 200 lumens at best, those are pr led drop ins, there are many different kinds of those, from total trash to somewhat decent. but for the price they cost, you can get 2aa mini maglite led that will be brighter, smaller lighter. with a better focus. If the reason you want it upgraded is a sentimental one, then you can look for led pr bulb upgrades, if it has no sentimental value to you, get a new light, will performs better weight less, and is a smaller light.......

Thanks. Is a 200 lumen LED-upgrade absolutely safe in heat development in such a flashlight? And what brand should I choose?

I could need this big old Legend flashlight as a baton in a self-defence situation.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Here's a good place to look.

Maglite LED Drop-ins, Upgrades, Conversions, and Accessories – Malkoff Devices

High Power Maglite LED Upgrades, Conversions, and Accessories to Fit Incandescent (NON LED) Maglite Brand Flashlights.

malkoffdevices.com

 

[Leo2]

Here's a good place to look.

Maglite LED Drop-ins, Upgrades, Conversions, and Accessories – Malkoff Devices

High Power Maglite LED Upgrades, Conversions, and Accessories to Fit Incandescent (NON LED) Maglite Brand Flashlights.

malkoffdevices.com

Thanks for this information.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Here's another way to go -

Adventure Sport Flashlights | eBay Stores

Welcome to Adventure Sport Flashlights, Expect to see Amazing! Super high powered flashlights, Custom made products such as Maglite upgrades, and P60 dropins. Genuine batteries, chargers, Convoy Flashlights, DIY parts and more!

www.ebay.com

Owner and operated by CPF's own @Lumencraft (Matt)

Here's the drop-in installed in the blue Mag.

 

[ABTOMAT]

The Legend has an all-metal bulb tower that touches the body of the light, and more distance between the bulb and the reflector, so theoretically it'd work with a hot LED better than a Mag-Lite. The problem with a lot of these LED drop-ins is less about melting the light and more about the cooling of the emitter itself. Lights designed to be LEDs have heatsinks that aren't possible in bulb replacements. As as large Mag upgrades like Malkoff and Lumencraft, keep in mind the Legend head is smaller in diameter and closer to the bulb. No springy bulb holder, either.

I'd agree with alpg88, you can get better lights for less money than a lot of these mods. If you need a baton I'd be looking at a factory Mag LED the same size. They're cheap used. Your Legend could be over 35 years old if it doesn't say "Brinkmann" on the side. Been a long time since Brinkmann was even in the flashlight business.